Created almost entirely in white, the collection was mesmerizingly pretty. White normally stands for virtuousness, but it was anything but innocent here.

The duo opened with a evocative long-sleeved lace dress cut with an erratic hem: semi-sheer and worn by their preferred model, Natasha Poly, the Russian model who has opened and closed most of their recent shows. It caused a collective outtake of breath before the wide-eyed audience of some 800 in Dolce & Gabbana’s custom-built show space. Like all the models, Poly was elegantly groomed in slightly disheveled hair, pale pink lipstick, barely there makeup and giant ring earrings.

Throughout, the gentlemanly designers varied short with long looks - either bloomers, shorts and negligees, or slip dresses, full gowns and cotton knitted cocktails. Thrown in toward the end were some great sexy widow suits, silvery boudoir looks and a couple of remarkable sheaths with glittering crystal embroidery.

“It’s us very much being Dolce & Gabbana,” said Domenico Dolce backstage after the show, which received a thunderous burst of applause. Few could argue with that, as this house has always based its success on tapping into the conflicting myths of the duo’s native Sicily – sensuality and religion, family and suggestive sin.

The bedroom was never very far away in this show, which zipped by despite being 80 passages long – twice the average show length in Europe. It ended with a sensational march by all the models, led by Poly all in white; in dramatic contrast to the previous season, where they all trooped out in black.

Even the invitation was white, as was the runway and backdrop, a perfect imitation of the white stucco finishes of Sicilian farmhouses. Projected on the backdrop pre-show were huge black and white photomontages of “Sicilianita” or Sicilian-ness, featuring Renaissance churches and nuns, lush lace and Madonna from the house’s current ad campaign.

And, Sunday evening, the Sicilian pair ended their day celebrating Naomi Campbell’s 25th anniversary as a model. Staging a fete in their flagship via Spiga boutique with the launch of a book on Campbell’s quarter century as model, proceeds from which will go to the model’s Fashion for Relief charity to welcome women in emerging countries.